No too hot. Not too cold. →

Published July 21, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 21

Self-motivated, self-starting individuals are incredibly motivated to find their weaknesses. It’s not far-fetched to say that some of us actually seek to make ourselves perfect — rational, calculating beings making the right type of decisions at just the right times. But we’ve learned from Star Trek; we don’t look to eliminate emotion either and turn ourselves into Mr. Spock. We want just the right amount of emotion in our lives.

~ Shane Parrish from, Tiny Gains. Massive Results.

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Here’s the two-pronged approach which has been working for me:

First, I remind myself to resist my innate urge to make things worse. Don’t add energy to emotions themselves, nor to things which cause emotions. Emotions are real. We are emotional beings. Emotions get their due. And no more. If things are going badly: relax, they won’t last. If things are going well: relax, they won’t last.

Second, I take note of—literally in my journal—things which cause me to be emotional. It turns out that sometimes I can simply eliminate chronic causes. My goal isn’t to remove all the causes; That’d be a stoopid plan. But sometimes a pain in my foot is simply caused by a stone in my shoe, and is easily removed.

Those could be summarized as, “reminding myself, and taking note.” Those two things are always possible, and always easy. The hard part is remembering to do them. But if I simply—as in: gently, and with self-kindness—do those two things when I do remember, they slowly become habitual. I can’t say I even understand what, “…just right,” would be. But I know for sure what, “just right,” is not.

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Get a move on →

Published July 20, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 20  ·  

Do what nature demands. Get a move on—if you have it in you—and don’t worry whether anyone will give you credit for it. And don’t go expecting Plato’s Republic; be satisfied with even the smallest progress, and treat the outcome of it all as unimportant.

~ Marcus Aurelius

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Community with Tania Marien →

Published July 19, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 19

How can community spaces be designed to encourage meaningful engagement and participation rather than passive consumption?

Creating active engagement within a community proves to be far more challenging than simply gathering members.

With the community, I am trying to encourage conversation among independent professionals in the field. Not everyone identifies as an environmental educator yet. There are many people out there who, through their work, connect people with the outdoors. I am trying to connect them and have conversation, and to generate conversation between all of them.

~ Tania Marien (1:10)

The conversation focuses on the challenges of building active, engaged communities, particularly in the context of independent professionals working in environmental education. It highlights the difficulty of moving from asynchronous communication to synchronous, real-time interactions. Efforts to encourage participation often reveal a gap between people who self-identify with a community and those who actively interact within it.

One key theme is the importance of modeling desired behavior to inspire participation. When spaces are provided, such as structured co-working sessions or live interactive events, participants are more likely to engage, yet this still requires intentional facilitation. The discussion also touches on how modern habits shaped by social media influence passive consumption, making it harder to foster real conversation and collaboration.

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You had me at ‘bacon’ →

Published July 19, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 19  ·  

One of the central conceits of the “man’s natural state” argument is that if we go back to some point in time, we’ll find it. We’ll finally come across the state of being where man lived totally in harmony with each other and with nature; eating the perfect diet for health, worshipping the correct gods, having sex in the natural and acceptable way. And besides studying religious texts, the tool that’s most frequently employed is the study of ancient, “pre-historic” man and woman. We hope that, by going back far enough, we’ll hit some arbitrary Point of Naturalness. That’s partially the approach used, for example, by the Paleo movement which has become such a popular force in nutrition. We evolved to eat bacon, right?

~ Shane Parrish from, The False Allure of a “Natural State” of Man

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I have avoided—I’ve no idea how—the rabbit hole of, “what is natural [for a human being’s flourishing]?” I have limited time, (I suggest doublechecking, as yours may also be limited,) and I’m really only interested in, “what is best for this human being’s flourishing?” I don’t care if we evolved to eat bacon. I do care how I feel after I eat bacon. …after I eat different types of bacon. …after I consider the monetary cost of buying bacon. …after I assess the environmental cost/footprint of eating bacon. …after I assess the societal aspects of bacon.

Sorry. All this talk of bacon. I lost my train of thought. Oh, right—

For a short span of several decades, I have complete control over my thoughts. At no time do I have absolute control over anything beyond my thoughts. (I have pretty reliable control over many things—movement of my hands for example. But even that control is not absolute. See: Disease, accidents, etc. At any moment, my preferences related to all the things beyond my thoughts, can easily be frustrated.) So the only thing that makes sense is to discover, reflect and then exercise what efficacy I have at any give moment: What do I know? How do I know it? What decision should I make now/today, given what I know? How would I find where my unknown unknowns are?

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Free time? →

Published July 18, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 18

In his free time, …

~ Shane Parrish, from What Can We Learn From the Prolific Mr. Asimov?

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I mean, I knew Asimov wrote a lot. But it turns out I had no clue how much. I’ve read a bunch of his science fiction back in the day, but I’ve never read any of his other writings, and there’s no way I ever will. And really, that’s ok. Because trying to be a “completist” leads to a lot of wasted time. Instead, a little of this, some of that, a dash of variety, and some spice of life. Festina lente.

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Where the world is →

Published July 17, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 17  ·  

As an organizer I start from where the world is, as it is, not as I would like it to be. That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be—it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it to what we think it should be.

~ Saul Alinsky

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Coaching with Anne Roche →

Published July 16, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 16

How can coaching principles be effectively applied to various contexts like workshops, podcasting, and personal growth?

The intersection of structure and personal exploration reshapes the concept of teaching in workshops.

Life coaching is not about mentoring or consulting. It’s not telling people, ‘This is how you should live your life.’ It’s really about discovery and exploration and holding space for a client to do that.

~ Anne Roche (1:59)

The conversation examines the nuances of coaching, podcasting, and the interplay between them. Coaching is described as a practice rooted in discovery and holding space for exploration. Unlike mentoring or consulting, it focuses on fostering self-awareness and guiding clients toward their own answers. The unique challenges and rewards of coaching in structured environments like workshops are explored, highlighting how these spaces balance process-driven guidance with personal growth opportunities.

Podcasting emerges as another realm where coaching principles apply, particularly in creating space for meaningful dialogue. The importance of silence, transparency, and the host’s ability to manage ego are discussed as vital to both coaching and podcasting. The conversation also touches on the balance between offering direct advice and enabling self-discovery, recognizing that both approaches are necessary in different contexts.

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Cole’s law →

Published July 16, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 16  ·  

Hofstadter’s Law – “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.”

~ “rogersbacon” from, Eponymous Laws Part 3: Miscellaneous — LessWrong

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It’s part 3, and it is a nifty collection of serious and whimsical laws. However, I doubt that Stigler is the originator of Stigler’s Law. Sometimes the only reason I write this stuff is to see if I can entice you to go read the thing to which I’ve linked.

But more often I do have a point. I’m wondering, in this case, how much of our urge to create, and our delight in such pithy Laws as Dilbert’s, comes simply from our mind’s desire to find patterns. There are a slew of cognitive biases, (confirmation bias springs to mind as fitting the pattern of my example,) which feel like they arise from pattern matching gone overly Pac Man.

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Speaking of Pac Man →

Published July 15, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 15

When Pac-Man needs a break from his endless cycle of hunger and pain, there is a simple trick he can use. When a new level starts, move Pac-Man one space to the right and three spaces up, then stop; the ghosts will leave him alone for about fifteen minutes or so. So when you’re feeling like life is completely hopeless (and it is), find yourself a cozy little corner to cry in. I can’t guarantee that your demons will leave you alone for at least fifteen minutes, but you’ll feel a lot better regardless.

~ Syd Lexia from, Pac-Man: An Accurate Simulation of Your Meaningless Life

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Turns out… Pac Man is an accurate simulation of your meaningless life.

My dad and I dropped bajillions of quarters into cabinet games back in the day. I can still vocalize Pac Man’s little jingle… bloo-dee doo-dee doodle-eedle doodle-eedle doo! wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka wa ka bee-ooh ee-oo ee-oo ee-oo ee-oo oop!

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Audience with Jessica Zou →

Published July 14, 2021  ·  All posts on Jul 14

How does one creator engage with and understand their audience in order to amplify the voices within their school community?

Amplifying individual stories aims to create collective understanding within the school district.

Yeah, so that’s exploration. I’m trying to figure it out. I think that the local school community— maybe the first step is to raise the question: Where can all of us find like-minded people in our local school community? And if you are able to find someone that believes the same thing— […] If it’s possible to get together, and to talk about this and then to say: Hey you know, we are not a PTA member, and we’re in the public schools. What can we do to come together and to have our voice heard?

~ Jessica Zou (12:44)

The conversation explores how the podcast, “Duck Tape Rocket Ship,” addresses the challenge of amplifying parent voices within the public school system. One central topic is the feeling among parents that their opinions and concerns are undervalued in the education system. By sharing individual stories and experiences, the podcast seeks to motivate community members to recognize their collective voice and engage more deeply with the schools.

Another focus is the strategy of targeting specific audiences, such as parents and educators, and understanding their needs. The podcast also interacts with the broader education system, including its bureaucratic and social challenges, aiming to build bridges between parents and the school administration. Jessica reflects on the complexities of public education and how focusing on singular objectives can bring about meaningful change.

Takeaways

Audience understanding — The podcast creator is unsure who exactly listens but recognizes teachers as an engaged part of the audience.

Amplifying voices — The podcast serves as a platform for parents to feel heard and validated within their community.

Systemic challenges — Public education’s complexity often sidelines individual voices, which the podcast aims to address.

Complementary efforts — The podcast is one of several tools used by the creator in their school leadership work.

Specific focus — The creator believes concentrating on one aspect of the system is more impactful than addressing multiple issues simultaneously.

Resources

Duct Tape Rocket Ship Podcast — Jessica’s podcast aiming to amplify parent voices within public education.

(Written with help from Chat-GPT.)

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